The boy tilts his head slightly to the side and gives a small laugh. “I hope I didn’t scare him somehow.” He scratches his head while looking over you.

“Here!” The Occultist rushes back into the room almost as quickly as he left. He places a small hard object in your hand and clasps his hands over yours. “Please let me take charge of him!”

He pushes your hands closer toward your chest. “I received this ring from The Usurper when she asked that I perform this ritual for her so many years ago.”

You open your hands to see a small elaborate silver ring emblazoned with stones that resembles only the starriest of night skies.

“T-this is priceless here. Nobles would trade all of their wealth and more for it.” He wraps his fingers around each other and bows his head. “So please, let me keep him. He’s the masterpiece of my life’s work.” He looks pleadingly into your eyes. “I-I’ve always wanted a son to carry on my work.”

You turn back to the boy who’s become bored of the conversation that you’re carrying on, and looks as if he’s daydreaming. He doesn’t look particularly valuable, so if what this man told you about the ring is true, it’s clearly a deal worth taking.

The boy’s green eyes meet your own and his lips widen into a pleasant smile.

In the end, this Occultist wants to keep the boy far more than he wants this apparently priceless ring. So you begin to wonder which one is actually the more valuable, and finally come to a decision.

“I’m afraid I will be keeping him.” You place yourself in between the boy and the Occultist. “ I can see that you want him very much, but he’s mine.” You invoke a terrifying potent flame around your right arm, allowing the Occultist to feel its biting heat. “So don’t waste my time.”

You toss the ring back to him, which he doesn’t even attempt to catch.

He remains only standing there, his chest heaving, his stare fixed firmly on the ground underneath his feet. “You’ll never appreciate him like I would.”

He looks into the boy’s eyes, who seems entirely removed from the escalating situation. “He’s the spitting image of Izureig…the only man I was ever proud to call my ruler.” He looks back to you, poison in his eyes. “You… You are like The Usurper, come to take MY FAMILY AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!”

He falls to his knees and is silent for many tense moments. “I will not let you.” He quickly collects the dropped ring and then begins to chant words once again with spectacular speed.

The ritual circle around the boy begins to light up once again, but so does the area around the Occultist.

Ugh, how cheeky of him. Well, you figured it might’ve come down to this, after all most of your encounters with other Occultists are rather unpleasant, but most of all you’re angry that he thinks he can pull a fast one over on you.

You feel every one of your limbs invoke with a blue flame of increasing fury.

Now how to deal with this one? Kicking his face in would be rather satisfying given how he insulting your capabilities with this whole display. But, you’re no stranger to the delicacies of Occult rituals, harming him during this incantation might bring harm to the boy.

You quickly turn around and scoop the boy out of the black ritual container. Thankfully, in this particular form, he’s rather light. If for whatever reason you had to pick him up as a human, you’re sure that you’d still be struggling with the task.

You spin on your heel, wings elegantly balancing your whole body as you do, and you lunge toward the Occultist with renewed vigor, flame enclosed foot racing to slam into his head.

You see the blue flames reach the skin on his face, causing it to bubble and lose its form, you see his mouth and eyes contort in agony from the indescribable amount of pain he must be feeling, but then you see nothing more of him, or the black ritual container behind you.

Damn, you wanted to claim the ring as well, now you can only wonder if its value is truly worth what he said it was.

You sigh, and look down at your prize in your arms.

His green eyes stare up in amazement. “Wow, you’re really strong!” He stares at his own hands in focus. Suddenly a very faint yellow flame forms in his palms.

Entirely unthreatening, but emitting a powerful and comforting warmth in between the two of you.

“Oh, your fire is much cooler.” He says without the slightest note of disappointment in his words.

That’s entirely true, but in some ways, you prefer his flame. Of course you'll never say that aloud.

He taps on your collar bone to pull you out of thought. “Do you know my name? That man called me Izureig. I like that name, it sounds strong.”

Ahh, you find it strange naming a boy who’s already this grown, so maybe it’s best to just go with Izureig if he likes it. He looks up at you expectantly, he’s clearly giving you the final say in that matter.

You look around the Occultist’s house as you think on it. The boy idly plays with your hair as you search the premises. You find little other than some living essentials, the kennel where the Occultist kept a whole assortment of bizarre mounts, and a small room that appears to only have records of his past creations.

You return to the lab, disappointed.

You have a niggling desire to burn the whole place to the ground, but you wonder if it’s even worth it.

The boy has taken to braiding the side of your hair while waiting for your decision.

“Hmm” You take another look around the laboratory to see if you had missed anything on your first search. “What do you think, Izureig?” You give the boy in your arms a small lift. “Do you think anything around here is worth keeping?”

He gives a playful smile at the first use of his name, and pulls away from your carry. “There was some kid’s clothes in one of the rooms I think. I don’t know why that man had them, but I want them!” He scurries back to the living area.

You have to admit, that is rather good thinking on his part. Saves you the trouble of having to buy some when you return to your own realm. Then it occurs to you, you’re going to have another mouth to feed and take care of, if only you had taken that damn ring instead…

Izureig returns donning a dark blue tunic and some boots, his green eyes positively beam at you while he excitedly shows you what he found. “Look! Look what I found…” His brow furrows trying to remember if you had told him your name yet.

“Sophia.” You sigh.

“Look, Sophie!” He gives you a dumb grin, perhaps knowing full well of his slip up.

You can feel the sides of your mouth wanting to tug up in a grin. Alright, maybe this kid won’t be too bad to have around…

Another search turned up nothing more than what you found the first time, so you escort your new creation safely outside the building before turning your hungry flames upon it.

The journey back to the portal is filled with answering many questions about where you live, and the people who live with you, but you don’t mind it, too much.

You feel a small body on top of you, squirming, panicked, so you’re quick to pull yourself out of the thick drying blood tub, and then quicker to save Izureig.

He’s panting as he regains his breath on the floor of your ritual room. “That was really scary…”

Izureig’s appearance is entirely the same as when he was first created, which while you do find curious, you’re weren’t actually sure what to expect in the first place.

You give him a moment before pulling him up off the floor. He’s staining it, no sense in giving your apprentices more to clean.

After you clean the blood him and yourself, the two of you return to your room.

“It’s only temporary, but you’ll have to make do with the floor…..Hey!” You shout as you see his legs scamper underneath your mound of covers.

You start pulling the covers away to reach him. “If you think –I’m- the one who’s going to sleep on the floor, then you have another thing coming…” You pull the last cover away to find him curled up, already asleep.

Bull, no one falls asleep that quickly. You poke into his bare side, and see his mouth fight to suppress a smile.

You sigh, and then throw the covers back over him. He can stay there for the moment, while you see to something important.

The dark cloak wraps over your body, as you wait patiently for the voices.

“Your desires, your control.”

The voice sounds not like it’s coming from your head this time, but all around you.

Whatever, as long as it does what it’s supposed to do, you don’t care.

You think back to that encounter you had while you were delving. Perhaps if you were able to get your flames to go past your arms, you would’ve been able to save Izureig and killed that Occultist before he managed to get away.

You fight to retain your composure as your mind swells with a massive influx of intense thoughts. You can see your flame, wanting to catch the air and reach any target that might satisfy its insatiable hunger. It’s almost alive in its desires, so the subtleties to shape it follow as such. For the time being, you can’t force upon a target, but rather unleash it. The differences are small, but crucial.

You allow yourself to slowly collapse to one knee, trying your best not to make a scene. The blood pours from your mouth and nose, and you can feel its heat as it wells in your eyes. The voices, they scream their secrets at you, until its nothing but painful noise.

A small but warm hand finds its way to one of your cheeks, and another. A small yellow flame fills the entirety of your field of vision.

The voices are silenced, and the blood stops pouring.

You pull yourself to collapse on the bed, uncaring of the small lump that chooses to lie next to you.

“He’s sooo cute!” Marissa exclaims as she wraps a messy-haired Izureig tightly into her chest. “Oh, tell me he’s staying here.” She pulls his face out of her chest, squeezing his cheeks between her hands. “What’s your name, handsome?”

“Izureig.” The boy responds meekly, not quite sure of what to do.

“Izu~” She wraps the poor boy in her chest again. “I look forward to getting to know you.” She whispers in his ear.

“Ahem.” You direct your gaze toward your apprentice. “Let him eat his breakfast already. We’ve got to get the market to stock up on his living essentials.

“Oh, I could take him.” She announces now holding his hand. “It would be a great bonding experience.” Her tail flicks behind her mischievously.

It stops as soon as she catches your narrowed glance. “Or I could come with you two? I have plenty of credit available at the market, no sense in spending yours.”

“Kind offer.” You sip your coffee. “But don’t you have work to be doing?”

Her expression sours a little. “Sayuline has yet to have been spotted in the area, so there’s not much to do.” She widens her eyes. “Please?”

“Alright, fine.” You relent. “But if you step out of line I will be very upset with you, understood Marissa?”

She gives you a salute. “Roger!” She pitches her voice higher to sound more like Ellie. “Ehehe.” She tightens her grip around Izureig’s hand. “We’re going to have fun today.”

He seems vastly more interested in the food in front of him than your apprentice.

~

“You look like brother and sister.” Marissa notes as you and Izureig walk side by side, his right hand firm in the grasp of Marissa’s left. “But I’m sure there’s more to it than that…” She looks at you to sate her curiosity.

You give her a quick summary of how the boy came to be.

“Wow, so you’re more like his mom then.” Marissa swings Izureig’s arm in the air. “How would you like a family, Izu?”

“Hmmm.” He thinks about the notion, obviously intrigued.

“Sophia as the mom, you as the brother, and me as the adopted sister.” Marissa looks off into the distance in thought before returning to smile at the boy.

“Who said you’d be part of the family?” He asks with seemingly genuine interest in his voice.

Marissa looks quite hurt by his words, a look you haven’t seen on her face for quite some time.

The market comes into view. The crowds thicken, as the many refurbished buildings become clearer. The roar of the people fills your ears as countless vendors shout out about their wares, auctioneers sell massive amounts of product at once, and a myriad patrons squabble over prices.Hundreds of people stand in front of you, were mere months ago you’d be lucky to ever see thirty.

Izureig chooses not to lean in towards Marissa, but you.

“There’s much you have to learn about this world.” You say grabbing his hand firmly. “But for now, just watch, and if anyone approaches you, don’t talk to them.”

He nods fearfully.

Marissa leads you to a vendor that seems to carry clothes for all sorts of people first. “First, let me buy him new clothes, something that suit him...” She rifles through an assortment of shirts and shorts collecting them at her whims. “This and this, oh and maybe a dress…” She says under her breath.

He shakes his head at you, vigorously.

“Not going to happen.” You practically have to shout to be heard.

“Spoil-sport.” She gets the vendors attention. “Can I get all of this?’

“Oh god, Marissa. Just take it before my wife sees you.” The vendor hurries her along.

“Thank you!” She shouts back with a giggle.

CRASH

A young man flees from an unseen assailant. His clothes mark him as a guild member. “You can’t treat me like this, you freak!”

A very large red-haired woman pursues him. Her face covered with an expressionless white mask, the rest of her fully armored and ready for a fight.

“Take us anywhere those two aren’t going.” You calmly whisper to Marissa.

You hold on tightly to Izu’s hand as you head toward the end of the market. “And that Izu is a bad person. Someone who hates people like you and I, so stay away from anyone wearing a mask like that.”

A few moments later and you’re at the edge of the market, the din significantly reduced, as well as the number of vendors.

“Well I’ve been meaning to make my rounds around this part.” Marissa looks around hungrily. “Think we can get a toothbrush and the like here, maybe make our way back when things have calmed down.”

“Interesting hair color the two of you have there…” A gruff voice says behind you.

You turn around to see a large heavily geared man. Most of his exposed flesh contains some sort of scarring, and he appears to be no stranger to a fight.

“Seems rather unnatural. Use dye or something, huh?” He approaches closer and you can see the white mask attached to his hip.

“But, that wouldn’t explain the eyes…” He says with his palm on one his weapons.

You shove Izu back with Marissa and step forward. “Step down, brute. We’re trying to do our shopping.”

The tips of your fingers tingle with excitement. Oh, how lucky for him that he gets to be the first to see your new ability.

“In case you haven’t notice, girly, you’re quite outmatched here.” He steps closer, trying to make himself seem as imposing as possible. “Now if you fiends would be so nice to come with me, I won’t have to scrape your goddamn brains off my boot later.” He’s practically spitting in your face with how close he is.

"Well now, if you're so stupid to keep insisting..." You begin to invoke your flames.

>>39576491That's a 'thin man' 'navigator'. They have special percs than grunts, in this case the lightning reflex, which causes the first overwatch shot it takes misses at 90%, and 75% for any more following overwatches the unit takes. Doesn't stop xcom soldiers from shooting their face off or blowing them up in xcom's turn though, as it doesn't grant any defence in that regards.The real scary ones are etereals, psichic master race, the head of the aliens that throws psi lances and rifts everywhere and mind controlls agents to fight against you on the battlefield. They're rare though.

Izu reaches out to you as Marissa pulls him, the tips of his fingers scraping against your hand as his green eyes plead for you to come with.

The two of them leave the scene safely.

“Now…” Ali crouches down next to the wounded man. “Your people are doing their best to ruin the reputation of the market I built.” She digs her index finger into the gaping wound, causing the man to howl out in pain. “But I think you’ve learned your lesson. So you’re free to crawl out of here.”

The wounded man takes a clumsy swing at Ali, which she deftly dodges. She laughs. “I’ve been dodging punches for as long as I can remember.” She stares at the wounded man, trying to decide what to do with him. “Vicki!” She finally calls out.

A worried-looking young girl clad in a frilly blue dress and wielding a large tome slowly walks out from behind a merchant stall.

“You’re lucky I sent my other associate after your red-headed friend. He’s not so nice when it comes to this sort of thing.” Ali wipes her bloodied finger off on the man’s clothes and steps back from him.

Vicki gasps. “Do I have to?”

Ali nods slowly.

“Alright…” She opens her tome. “Let’s hope I get this right.” She winces.

Vicki begins an incantation rather similar to the delving chant. You repeat every word that she says in your mind, determined to remember it.

Suddenly the man is gone, well, most of him at the very least. Two pair of feet remain, leaking blood.

“Aww, man.” Vicki sighs.

“Don’t worry.” Ali places a hand on her shoulder. “He won’t need them where he’s going.”

“Now…” She turns her gaze back to you. “Sophia, I hardly recognize you. You look good.”

“I’m well aware of that.” You reply pushing a strand of hair out of your face. “I was wondering when you’d come back.”

“I was eagerly awaiting to return.” She rubs her hands together. “Now some real work can get done.” She takes a long look at you before smiling again. “How would you like to help me with that?”

>>39577102Okay, that's where I'm going to end it for tonight. It really picked up towards the end, which I really enjoyed. As always, I want to thank everyone that played today! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them in the thread, and I will do my best to respond to them.

If not, then I wish you a good day/night, and hope to see you again next thread!

>>39577232She wasn't the one who killed that particular gentleman, but she does have access to a few new associates now. She was a very busy bee when she was gone.>>39577252You're very welcome! Don't count out any theory so quickly. You might be surprised...>>39577291Birds of feather?

>>39577377Uuuh, if you're still here and answering questions, a few threads ago some vote won that said Marissa's compulsion ability caused a resistance to build in individuals who were exposed repeatedly, and that we had effectively built up an immunity by now. Then a couple threads later, I think she tried to do some minor charm on us and it was supposedly negated by our cape, not this resistance. Which is correct? Both?